Wealhtheow
by sarah23ilu
Summary: Wealhtheow is a Valkyrie Narrative Story for my LA class


Ralston 7

Sarah Ralston

Reid

Session 1: LA 1B

8 July 2015

Wealhtheow

The role of a Valkyrie is to choose which warriors die in battle and which warriors live to fight another day. They then decide whether a warrior is sent to Valhalla to become einherjar warriors that fight for Odin or send them to Folkvangr, Freyja's afterlife. The Valkyrie are said to strike fear into the gods themselves with their abilities especially Skuld, the leader of the Valkyries who possesses the gift of sight. This is the story of my fated death at the hand of the goddess Freyja, my stepmother. I am Wealhtheow, daughter of the Valkyrie Skuld and the Allfather Odin, and I will rewrite my fate.

As I look down at the battle raging before me I cannot help but feel the overwhelming glee at witnessing another battle. "The Geats have been busy, haven't they?" Brynhildr laughed as we gazed upon the expanse of grassland before us that held the hundreds of warriors defending their homeland. It was while I was examining the army of Geats that I caught a glimpse of a warrior I had met before. His name is Beowulf; he is currently locked in battle with five warriors from the land of the Friesians. I remembered Beowulf from when he traveled to the land of the Danes and defeated the monster Grendel with my husband Hrothgar. I was unfortunately away at battle for the duration of the Grendel situation or I would have dealt with the monster swiftly, however Beowulf defeated him with his pure of heart gifted to him by the gods.

I would have taken him to serve my father in Valhalla right then after I arrived to hear the tales of his heroic deed and fierceness in battle before his departure however I am bound by my oath and duty to only collect those souls that meet their unfortunate end in battle so I have patiently awaited his demise in order to utilize his battle prowess for my father's benefit. Warriors including Beowulf often speak of their wish to meet their downfall in battle and be among the select few to serve honorably in the einherjar army. My golden mane swept behind me as I descended into the battle to eagerly await the slaying of my newest gift to my father.

Herja swept through the Friesian army like an eagle, dealing fatal blows to her targets in order to ensure the victory of the Geats over the Friesians in accordance to my mother Skuld's desire. Geats were mostly chosen to travel to Valhalla with us due to their ferocious fighting style compared to the cowardice of the opposing Friesians. Since the fates have chosen the Geats to win, dictated by my mother, I am justified in taking Beowulf to Valhalla otherwise the army of the Geats would have endured a tremendous loss and spiraled into a dark age.

Rangrid remained above, awaiting our return so that she can release the shield she places over us during the battle so that we remain invisible to the warriors around us until their death. Once Beowulf had fallen from a cowardly attacker who crept back after being defeated to gain some semblance of glory for himself, who I quickly killed purely based on principle, you don't pull such a cowardly move in front of a creature who is the epitome of battle itself, I swooped in to obtain my long awaited prey. Once in my possession of Beowulf I sounded the call to return to Valhalla where Odin awaits for us to present our newest offering.

Entering the halls of Valhalla to deliver our chosen warriors to my father I get a glimpse of him sitting regally upon his golden throne with his wife, Freyja, beside him. I cannot keep the grimace of distain from my face even if I had wanted to. Ever since she had my husband, Hrothgar, king of the Danes murdered I can no longer contain my hatred for my stepmother.

She used to be caring until my brother Thor and I had a small falling out when I took the side of Loki on an argument between the two gods. Even though Thor and I have since reconciled Freyja has maintained her hatred for me. The fates have declared that Freyja and one of her stepchildren will battle and that she will come out as the winner. However I am going to make sure that the prophecy does not apply to me, I will win.

"Daughter," my father greets me with open arms once he sees me in the crowd of Valkyries and warriors. "Hello father" I reply as I return his embrace whole heartedly yet glower at Freyja behind his shoulder, "You do not help the rising animosity between you 'theow" he whispers in my ear with a small smile as we release each other. Apparently I am not as sly as I believed myself to be.

Kara provides entertainment for the newly fallen warriors to help them grow more comfortable in their new dwelling while surrounding Valkyrie join in the celebration by bringing the new einherjar mugs of mead and platters of food. Warriors and Valkyrie alike begin to tell stories of past battles and scars, settling into their new roles with ease.

My father leads me away from the celebrating mass to his antechamber to inform me of the newest crisis. I knew it to be a serious enemy for him to choose me to carry it out and not another warrior. "Daughter, have you ever heard of a monster named Grendel?" he questioned while pouring himself some mead. "Yes the offspring of Cain and his wife, yes? I brought you the warrior who slayed him, Beowulf." I replied wondering why he would ask something about a monster that had long met his end. He slowly walked over to one of the chairs in the room motioning me to sit in the adjoining chair beside him, "Cain's wife has caused such a stir in the mortal world since her son's death, and no warrior has been able to prevent her wrath from continuing. She is too strong and old to be defeated by mortal means, I need you to deal with her before she causes any more terror and bloodshed in the mortal world, do you accept and understand this task Wealhtheow?" I met his gaze with a smirk upon my face, "I accept."

As I left the antechamber I ran into the last person I wanted to see, Freyja. "Hello Freyja." I offered coldly with a fake smile plastered on my face. Freyja's mask once carefree and open now melted away to expose her true nature, cold and ruthless, "What did your father ask of you? Does he really think that you can be entrusted with a task? His bond with you is affecting his judgment; you should not be entrusted with any task beyond Valkyrie duties, which is all your kind is useful for." She disappeared into the room that still held my father while I continued on my path to the entrance hall of Valhalla.

Once there I came across my mother, Skuld, discussing something urgently with Mist, Reginleif, and Rota the senior Valkyries that had worked alongside my mother for centuries. As I approached them I got a hint of the conversation, "-tried to kill my daughter! She has agents waiting! I-" it was at this point in the conversation that the group of Valkyrie caught sight of my approach and ended their discussion. "Hello min skatt (my darling)" her embrace was not up to its usual tenderness, she was clammy and wide eyed, which you would know is very out of character for the Valkyrie Skuld. Her eyes flitted over my face constantly seemingly attempting to memorize every detail. "Mother, what is wrong? Who wants to kill me?" I implored, she froze when I mentioned her previous conversation but she then slumped in defeat into a nearby chair with her head in her hands. "We cannot talk about this topic here, the walls have eyes," she led me out of Valhalla and we flew to our home in the realm of Asgard.

"We are safe now mother, please tell me what has caused you such distress?" she waved off the others and led me to the conference room where we planned out our battles and celebrations. "I did not accompany you into battle today because I experienced a vision today sent to me by the fates; Freyja has been creating plans to kill you that go against the laws that bind her as a god. They say that the destined conflict should not be happening this early but with Freyja's actions as of late it has caused a change in the loyalties of gods and mortals alike. She is recruiting monsters and gods alike to kill you and support her respectively. By doing so she has broken the ancient rule laid down for the gods, the fates are not happy with how the gods have forgotten who exactly gave them power in the first place, that is why the gods fear us because we have been given power by the fates themselves making us equal in divinity to the gods."

What I had just heard shook me to my core. How could Freyja recruit monsters? I am her stepdaughter; we are at odds with each other over a dispute that did not involve her in the first place. She has crossed a line that has been maintained for centuries. The fates see all past, present, and future. They are the supreme beings that control everyone's fate whether they are mortal or divine, by challenging their authority they can change your destiny to turn your life into ruin. By allying with monsters she has broken an ancient treaty older than man itself, which states that gods and monsters cannot ally together unless it is against Ragnarok. Last time I checked I am just a simple Valkyrie named Wealhtheow.

As I was contemplating the new development I froze, "You said that Freyja possessed allies of both mortal and monster blood correct? That filthy coward!" I disappeared in a swirl of wind leaving my mother behind gazing concerned at the spot I was just standing.

I reappear in Hall Heorot, ever since the death of my husband the Hall is not filled with as much warmth as I have grown accustomed to experiencing while in it so I tend to stay away with the Valkyrie for long periods of time so I do not intrude on the purpose of Hall Heorot, to be a place of celebration.

I stalk into the hall following a path only I can see until it leads me to Unferth, the miserable cretin that inhabits the majestic hall. He is slouched in a corner picking at his disgusting boil with beady eyes trained on the floor mumbling nonsense to himself. It is hard to believe that my stepmother would lower herself to consort with such a being, though he is a little better than Cain's wife. I use my strength to pin him to the wall by his shirt so that I do not dirty myself by the touch of his skin.

"Why? Did we not treat you well? Did Hrothgar not celebrate your heroic deeds? You are nothing but a bitter boy that does not know when to let the adults handle things, all you have ever done is praise the dark while causing the death of fellow men beside you. Men who would give their life for yours out of honor, an honor you do not deserve. While men such as they are praised and celebrated you sit in the corner picking at your disgusting boil bitter that you do not receive the same attention for your deeds that do not exist!" I throw him into the table ignoring the damage and splinters, knowing that it will all be fixed and a new table present by nightfall.

"Get out, if I find out you had anything to do with Hrothgar's death I will hunt you down and you will feel the wrath of a true warrior!" I roar at Unferth until he runs out the doors to the hall with his tail between his legs, ashamed.

I trace the familiar path to the war room where Hrothgar and I always prepared the plans that would lead the Danes to victory. I laughed bitterly as I remembered the last time I was in this room, planning the demise of Grendel before I was called away. Now I am planning to kill his mother.

I transport back to my mother in order to obtain all the information that I require to properly defeats Cain's wife. She is waiting with all of the necessary information, she doesn't say anything recognizing the mood I am in and just wishes me luck vanishing out of the room before I could respond. I return to my war room and bring with me the Valkyrie Raogrior who specializes in war strategy. We immediately set to work on the plan to defeat Cain's wife, she will regret her transgressions of violence.

I startle awake when a chill of dread settles on my spine. Something is not right. "Mother!" I vanish to her room only to find her breathing shallow and skin pale. I send Eir to go get help as I silently cry tears of frustration and fear for my mother's wellbeing. Eir rushes back into the room with Gondol our healer who specializes in magic. She waves her wand over my mother's body muttering an ancient language under her breath that is vaguely familiar yet eludes me. Various points on my mother's body lights up in a multitude of color, bringing confusion to my face but a grim clarity to Gondol's. "Skuld has been poisoned" that one sentence, short, simple, lacking any possibility of confusion or misunderstanding, those 4 simple words stringed together brings my world crashing down around me.

I must have blacked out from the sheer devastation that revelation brought me because the next thing I knew I was waking on the sofa in the study adjacent to my mother's bedchambers. That one statement would not have caused me as much distress if it wasn't for the sickly visage of my mother. As Valkyrie we are immortal beings chosen to serve by the fates. Being poisoned would have no ill effects because of our divinity, yet here lies my mother sickly in appearance fading away right in front of me. This confounds me; I have always lived with the reality that both my parents, Skuld and Odin, would always be a part of my life because of their immortality. On the verge of now losing my mother is severely shaken my beliefs. Will my father leave me too? I have never considered the possibility of having to grieve for my parents, or most of my friends either.

The fates have chosen me to step in as their replacement for my mother now that she is no longer strong enough to handle the severity of the visions the fates send. They have shown me the destined outcome of this time before Freyja's manipulations, my mother was healthy. She will live now but weaker than before, she may no longer fight or serve her duties as head Valkyrie. I have taken my rightful place as the next head Valkyrie by right of matriarchy. Her blood flows through my veins and her gifts now flow through me. I can no longer be the lone wolf traveling between worlds; my sole duty is to the Valkyrie and Odin.

However I have some unfinished business.

Unferth lay in the fen huddled under a tree surrounded by dead branches and dead leaves. He knew it was only a matter of time before Wealhtheow came back for him. He killed Hrothgar. He knew that she would find out eventually, Freyja promised him immunity but he knew now that she only gave him false security. No one messes with Wealhtheow; he knew that, all he wanted was some of the glory and praise that they heap upon the other Danes. He deserves respect and power, Freyja saw that, why can't anyone else?

Unferth heard a noise behind the tree, not heavy like an animal, but quiet like wind. All of a sudden he was grabbed and thrown head first into a tree. Unferth barely managed to twist his body and avoid a fatal blow; he regrets that decision when he turns around to find eyes as cold as ice and golden hair crackling with barely restrained fury.

"I am glad that you did not travel to far Unferth, you made it so easy to follow your trail. Thank you." I watch as his beady eyes stay glued to the sword twirling between my hands. "Do you like it Unferth, it was my husbands. My father gifted it to him on our wedding day, a powerful blade with untold abilities, lets discover them shall we?" I leapt for him playfully while I drank in the stench of fear rolling of the pitiful excuse for a man before me. "Now, now. No need to startle, I am only having a little fun. No harm between friends, right?" he shakily nods while slowly bracing himself up against the tree I threw him into. "Too bad we aren't friends." I say as I run my blade deep into his stomach mimicking the X that he imprinted onto my husband's body during death. I wipe my blade on his clothing as I leaving the clearing inside the fern, can't have it rusting can I?

One down, two to go.

Once at Hall Heorot I hang my sword back in the royal armory where it will one day be used again to defeat enemies of the Danes. Now that my personal debt has been settled I am ready to step up and fulfill my destined roll by taking over for my mother and ruling the Valkyrie. My first official task as head Valkyrie, defeat Cain's wife as requested my our king, Odin.

For weeks I have been methodically planning my strategy when going up against Cain's wife. She is said to possess her husband's ruthlessness yet only a margin of her son Grendel's brain, relying more on instinct then wit. Thankfully Valkyrie possess the ability to shape shift into birds therefore giving me previous experience of how to combat instinct.

Her den lay beneath a pool of blood from her previous victims, however I do not plan to enter it. When fighting an enemy who relies on instinct over wit, best not to battle in settings they are accustomed to they must be thrown into your territory. I lure her out of her cave with the arm of her son Grendel, that remains in Hall Heorot to remind the world of the strength Danes possess. It will make her fury wise, throwing off her instincts making her sloppy and easily manipulated into my terrain.

The lure works like a charm, she comes storming out of the pool screaming in fury lunging at me before her instincts register the predator she is about to attack. I know the moment her instinct takes over, her pupils widen and her breathing freezes, she pauses mid air and falls into a crouch slowly backing away into her den. "Not so fast," I appear behind, grabbing her by the neck and taking her back to the clearing that only hours ago saw the demise of Unferth. She scented stale blood in the clearing and zeroed in on me as the culprit.

The battle lasted only a few short minutes. I'm rather disappointed. You think Cain would have chosen a wife that was equal to him in vileness and cunning, yet before me lays the mangled body of a monster that could not even make it ten minutes against a Valkyrie, I have seen mortals fight with more ferociousness than I just witnessed. She evaded my daggers for a few minutes, inserting her claws into the fight whenever possible yet missing by a large distance. This behavior left me confused and mislead until I looked into the wide eyes of the monster before me, glistening with despair and dull with defeat. I had already won the fight without having to lift a weapon. Her instincts had already enlightened her to the fact that she could not hope to win in a battle with the predator before her. She might have had a better chance of survival if she had at least tried, but her instincts lost the battle for her by evaporating her hope and determination. I ended her quickly, she was no longer a threat, no need to drag out her death.

After all, there is still one more enemy to defeat.

I arrived at Asgard so that I could inform my father of my successful mission. On my way to the throne room I heard the unmistakable sound of a sword cutting through the air. I ducked on instinct, most likely saving my life because as I glanced up the sword embedded itself in to the stone wall in front of me. As I turned around to see my attacker, guards stormed into the room and surrounded the exits. My father burst into the room with pure fury, "What is the meaning of this Freyja? How dare you attack my daughter in my home! Guards seize her!" my father's warriors surged forward to capture the queen. "Stop! Father it is time we see who the prophecy pertains to, we must fight. If I win then we know that I am not the child of prophecy." I stalked forward while withdrawing my sword from its sheath, awaiting Freyja's attack.

The warriors released my stepmother, she immediately drew her sword and charged at me. Our swords collided with a loud clang, my strength surprised her. She thought her divinity would outstrip my Valkyrie status. However what she did not know was that as soon as the fates discovered her betrayal of the ancient laws, her divinity was stripped from her. She is now no better than a mortal. "What is the saying? Oh yes, 'You don't mess with fate' seems fighting, no?" her eyes widened in realization as my sword slowly creeps in her direction until she has no choice but to turn away.

"I am supposed to win, it was foretold by the fates long ago!" she exclaimed as she backed away from me as I advanced on her with my sword prepared to strike a fatal blow. "You were, until you made the grievous mistake of making deals with monsters." my sword came down upon her full of years of built up retribution and anger, only to curve at the last second and strike the stone beside her neck. A drop of blood trailed down her pale neck to settle on the stone floor of the Asgardian entry hall.

"Killing you would make me no better than the lowly monsters you choose to consort with, how about we send you to join your 'allies'? I'm sure they would love to meet the new Freyja. Mortal." My father accepted my unasked request and banished Freyja to the mortal lands to be among her allied monsters and the mortals she so loathes.

I told you I would I would rewrite my fate. I'm too stubborn to leave my life up to the decision of another.


End file.
